Chapter 17

Pei Jingyou still felt that something was amiss, but Pei Mingshu maintained a tight defense and revealed nothing. Unable to extract any information, Pei Jingyou decided to let it go for now and focus on pushing the collaborative project forward.

The plan was indeed excellent, and both parties were satisfied. Pei Jingyou had initially hoped for Pei Mingshu to take the lead with Pei Qing as his deputy. However, since it was a public competition, it wouldn’t be appropriate to change the roles of the main and deputy heads arbitrarily, even though they were both his sons. Nevertheless, the fact that they were both his sons left room for negotiation.

That evening, Pei Jingyou summoned both of them to his study. He subtly suggested to Pei Qing that despite his young age and limited experience, his plan was well-executed. However, he hinted that it would be wise to consider Pei Mingshu’s opinions when implementing the plan.

Pei Qing remained expressionless, listening quietly with his usual cold demeanor.

Pei Jingyou, with a kind expression, turned to Pei Qing and said, “Aqing, what do you think?”

Pei Qing remained silent, but Pei Mingshu spoke up. “Dad, you should trust Qing. Since he’s capable of devising such a good plan, he’s also capable of executing it. I’ll fully cooperate.”

“Alright, alright,” Pei Jingyou smiled. “Since you say so, Mingshu, I’ll feel at ease.”

During the conversation between the father and sons, Pei Qing continued to play the role of an outsider, as he always did. Even after his recent victory over Pei Mingshu, he remained silent, his expression icy and stern.

After the discussion ended, Pei Qing was the first to get up and leave.

Pei Jingyou looked worried as he watched the direction of the study’s still-open door and sighed lightly. Then, he turned to Pei Mingshu and said, “Aqing is quite capable too, but he’s too proud and young, lacking in worldly experience.”

“Don’t worry too much,” Pei Mingshu smiled. “Didn’t Qing already surprise you during the public competition?”

Pei Jingyou’s lips curled slightly before he suppressed his emotions. “This collaborative project isn’t that simple.”

When Youngcheng and Heda were deadlocked in their negotiations, it was Heda who suddenly lowered his stance and offered an olive branch. After several rounds of negotiations, both sides made concessions and reached a collaboration agreement.

“Do you think Heda is sincere about this collaboration, or…”

Pei Jingyou looked at Pei Mingshu.

Pei Mingshu lowered his head slightly, appearing to be contemplating or lost in thought.

Pei Jingyou had a complicated relationship with his eldest son. Most of the time, Pei Mingshu had been living abroad in the past few years. If it weren’t for Yue Tan’s death the year before last, the chances of the father and son meeting and living together for a long time would have been even more slim.

Pei Mingshu had been taught by his father-in-law, who was highly esteemed, and fortunately, he hadn’t grown up to be as aloof and detached from the world as the Yue family. Pei Jingyou trusted his son’s actions, but sometimes, even he didn’t know what was on Pei Mingshu’s mind.

Thinking of this, Pei Jingyou sighed softly in his heart.

In fact, he didn’t know what either of his sons was thinking. He didn’t have a deep understanding of them. For example, Pei Qing’s outstanding performance this time had caught him off guard.

The relationship between the two brothers had always been balanced, with each understanding their own roles, but this collaborative project had disrupted that balance…

The study fell into a strange silence, with both father and son lost in their thoughts, leaving aside their business matters for the time being.

—

When Pei Qing pushed open Mo Yin’s bedroom door, Mo Yin was lying on the bed, looking at his phone with a smile on his face, as if he were watching something amusing.

“What are you watching?” Pei Qing asked.

Mo Yin raised his head, smiling at Pei Qing. “Puppies fighting. Do you want to watch?”

Pei Qing was not interested at all. His expression was as cold as ice, radiating suppressed coldness.

Mo Yin locked his screen and placed the phone beside him, his expression becoming serious. “What’s wrong? Are you feeling bad?”

Pei Qing didn’t speak. He turned sideways, facing Mo Yin, and Mo Yin could clearly see his chest slowly rising and falling, as if he were restraining something.

Without saying anything, Mo Yin remained silent as well. After a while, he whispered, “Could you give me a massage?”

Pei Qing peeled off his soft pajamas, revealing Mo Yin’s legs, which were lying on the plain blanket. After more than a year, Mo Yin’s skin had become very smooth due to Pei Qing’s careful care, soft and elastic to the touch.

Pei Qing’s hands were large, and when he applied oil and covered Mo Yin’s entire thigh, the slender and powerless leg remained passive, unaffected by the massage. No matter how much force was exerted, its owner showed no reaction, only a gradual reddening of the skin, as if the flesh beneath was being squeezed by those hands.

Pei Qing stopped his hands.

His breath was slightly erratic, and he stared fixedly at Mo Yin’s crimson leg for a moment before slowly turning his face away. Mo Yin sat there, looking at him with concern.

“Sorry,” Pei Qing’s voice was slightly hoarse.

“Sorry for what?” Mo Yin asked.

“I used too much force just now.”

“It’s okay.”

Mo Yin smiled gently and said, “They can’t feel anything, so it doesn’t hurt. You don’t need to apologize.”

Pei Qing withdrew his gaze and removed his hands from Mo Yin’s legs, placing them on his own knees. He lowered his head slightly, his eyes fixed on the dark floor.

It had been almost ten years.

During these ten years, he had endured a lot.

Because his birth was a sin, a sin he could never redeem or escape from in his lifetime.

Burdened with original sin and abandoned by his last relative, he lived alone in the vast Pei mansion, leading a life as a dependent. He had never thought about gaining more. Someday, he would leave the Pei family. He could abandon his surname and everything here, returning to being Pei Qing, the illegitimate son with nothing.

But before he left, he wanted to prove himself at least once.

Apart from his inescapable status as a bastard, he wouldn’t be inferior to Pei Mingshu in any aspect.

He had done it.

But in Pei Jingyou’s eyes, he still couldn’t get even the slightest acknowledgment.

Why?

Just because he was a bastard, would he never be able to surpass Pei Mingshu no matter what he did?

If that was the case, why did they even bother bringing him into this world… No, Pei Jingyou didn’t even know of his existence. If he knew, he probably wouldn’t have wanted him…

His cheek was suddenly touched, and Pei Qing turned his face abruptly to see Mo Yin’s palm against his cheek. Mo Yin was looking up at him, his brows furrowed with worry.

“Pei Qing, what’s wrong?”

Pei Qing’s cold and proud face remained as expressionless as usual, but his eyes were slightly red, and the muscles of his cheeks were tense, slightly warm under Mo Yin’s palm.

Like an injured wolf, struggling to hide its wounds from others.

“Nothing,” he replied calmly, just as usual.

Mo Yin smiled inwardly, feeling some curiosity. He spoke gently, “Are you sure? You seem a little off today. We’ve won the collaboration project; shouldn’t you be happy?”

Pei Qing turned his face away, and Mo Yin’s hand fell empty. He smirked slightly, then said, “Is there something wrong with your work?”

Pei Qing avoided Mo Yin’s probing questions, lowered his head, and said, “I’ll go wash my hands.”

As he was about to get up, his wrist was grabbed again. Turning back, he saw Mo Yin looking up at him with concern and worry in his eyes. “Are you really okay, Pei Qing? You can tell me anything. Whenever I have difficulties, you’ve always been there for me. If you have any troubles, let me help you bear them, okay?”

Such gentle words and eyes were undoubtedly a great comfort to a wounded heart, but at the same time, they were a peculiar form of torment.

For someone as proud and strong-willed as Pei Qing, he couldn’t afford to show weakness in front of others, especially in front of someone he valued. The more he valued someone, the more he had to work hard to appear unbothered.

Mo Yin’s eyes were affectionate and soft, like water, and as Pei Qing hugged him tightly, Mo Yin felt his bones seem to crackle, feeling a bit painful. However, the urge to laugh grew stronger and stronger, and he had to bite his lip to suppress the laughter that wanted to escape from his chest.

He knew exactly what was wrong with Pei Qing.

So what if they won?

When the people from Heda’s side came to the study for the meeting, their tone and demeanor indicated that they already considered the collaboration project theirs. Based on Mo Yin’s judgment of Pei Mingshu, his subordinates wouldn’t be so frivolous and arrogant unless Pei Jingyou had already agreed with Pei Mingshu beforehand to hand over the collaboration project to him.

However, what was originally determined has now become uncertain.

So, what should be done?

Would Pei Qing trust Pei Qing’s cooperation case in Pei Jingyou’s hands with his autocratic personality? Would Pei Mingshu, upon discovering Pei Qing’s cooperation case, just let the matter drop after their successive car accidents?

Pei Qing might think he has won, but only Mo Yin knows for sure – Pei Qing has lost thoroughly, and his defeat will be clear to see.

Father, brother, company… nothing belongs to him.

Even his pride, fiercely upheld, is to be trampled upon by those closest to him.

What does Pei Qing have?

In reality, he has nothing at all.

It’s all too amusing.

Who would’ve thought that merely seeing the expression on Pei Qing’s face after being hurt would be so fresh and intriguing, far more stimulating than the sight of the exploding false world.

Mo Yin is excited, trembling slightly.

The moment he trembles, Pei Qing lets go of him, his eyes redder than before, but not a tear in sight. “Did I hurt you?”

Mo Yin smiles, shaking his head. “Not at all.”

His gaze is understanding. “Really.”

Pei Qing takes a deep breath, lowering his face to rest his forehead against Mo Yin’s, his hand holding onto Mo Yin’s shoulder. After they exchange breaths quietly for a moment, he murmurs softly, “I’ll carry you to the shower.”

“Mm.”

In the bathroom, Mo Yin’s arm is draped over Pei Qing’s shoulder as he tilts his head back to kiss him.

Pei Qing kisses him today with more ferocity and depth than the day he won, as if wanting to possess Mo Yin bit by bit, starting from his tongue and swallowing him whole.

Mo Yin complies gently.

Both of them have their hair wet from the hot water, streams of water trickling down their faces, and their breaths ragged and hurried.

They gaze at each other through the mist, Mo Yin placing his palm on Pei Qing’s face, whispering softly, “Pei Qing, no matter what, you still have me.”

The steam swirls around them, obscuring Pei Qing’s expression at this moment. Mo Yin only feels Pei Qing kissing him harder than before when he leans in again, forcing Mo Yin to tilt his face back as if in sacrifice.

Finally, Pei Qing grabs his hand and lightly bites his ring finger on the right hand.

Mo Yin looks at him, seeing something long-fermented in Pei Qing’s eyes, entwining around Mo Yin densely.

—I’ve truly fallen in love with this person.

—I’ve truly caught this person.

Similar thoughts flash through both their minds simultaneously. They exchange a glance in the hazy mist, drawing closer to each other, lightly brushing each other’s lips like dragonflies skimming the surface of the water.

Pei Qing lowers his head, gently kissing the spot he had bitten, saying, “After the cooperation case is over, I’ll take you away from here.”

*

“Goodnight.”

“Goodnight.”

Mo Yin smiles, waving from under the covers. Pei Qing’s expression has eased a lot compared to when he arrived, even showing a faint smile. He switches off the light and gently closes the door for Mo Yin.

The room falls into darkness.

Mo Yin takes out his phone from beside the pillow, unlocks it, and continues watching the video that Pei Qing hadn’t finished watching when he came in.

It’s a pity.

The light is in front, but the backlight is too dim, and the angle of the person filming isn’t good either. In the video, you can only vaguely see the outlines of faces. Among the crowd, Pei Mingshu’s profile stands out, easily recognizable by Mo Yin, but he just can’t see the expression on Pei Mingshu’s face clearly.

Not seeing the dramatic change in Pei Mingshu’s expression at that time is truly regrettable.

Deleting the chat history and video, Mo Yin throws away his phone, absentmindedly twirling his fingers, recalling the sight of Pei Qing being hurt and yet enduring it. He can’t help but laugh again, pressing his lips against his teeth to suppress the laughter, but unable to resist bursting into laughter once more. He simply pulls up the blanket to cover his face.

Mo Yin laughs in the covers, his face slightly sweating.

However, soon, the smile on his face disappears without a trace.

The pleasure derived from such trivial matters is minuscule to him.

Mo Yin lowers the blanket, his eyes quietly gleaming in the darkness.

No hurry.

This is just the beginning.

He looks forward to seeing the expressions of everyone when they all collapse… It will be very interesting indeed.